Ship-lift.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

(I. A. SANER.

SHIP LIFT.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.3, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

IN VEN 7- UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

JOHN A. SANER, OF NORTHWICH, ENGLAND.

SHIP-LIFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,857, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed October 3,1903. Serial No. 175,615. (No model.)

To all 711720111, it Wmq concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ARTHUR SANER, a subject of the King of England, and a resident of Northwich, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful I mprovements in or Connected with Ship-Lifts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the lifting and lowering of ships of both small and large size or transporting them from water at one level to water at another level, as on navigable canals, rivers, lakes, &c., and for raising ships out of the water for various dry-docking purposes.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention are hereinafter set forth.

The lifting apparatus comprises a tank, trough, or structure in which the ship or vessel is floated or rests, as the case may be, and a frame or scafi'olding of girder-work or the like along each side of the lift-body having upon their upper parts a series of pulleys over which round, flat, or like ropes connected at one end with the lift-body pass and each having on the other end a counterbalance-weight, these pulleys or ropes being arranged in multiple and parallel and comparatively closely together and all driven or controlled together by power distributed through shafting and tooth-gearing.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a

cross-section.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the tank or structure in which the ship or vessel is floated or rests, and 5 represents the frames or scaffolding of girder-work which are erected on the ground or foundation and disposed along each side of the tank or structure a.

0 represents a plurality of rope-pulleys over which the ropes (Z, connected at one end with the liftbody a, pass, and 6 represents the counterbalance-weights of the other end of these ropes (Z for counter-balancing the weight of the body a. The pulleys c and the wire ropes or hands (Z are arranged in multiple and parallel and closely together, the pulleys being supported on bearings f, fixed on the top of the frames 6.

To the vessel or lift-body a and to the counterbalance-weights 0 chains 71 and 2' are fixed or suspended, respectively, these chains being of the same weight per lineal foot as the wire ropes (Z. The chains it and z are arranged to work in the case shown in wells j and la, respectively, and when the lift-body u is being lowered the chains 11 will pile up on the bottom of the chamber j, so that their weight is carried by the bottom of these chambers and does not act upon the body, and, concomitantly, in raising the chains '5 will be lifted up and off the bottom of the wells It, and the greater portion of their weight will thus be acting on the body in the upward direction, tending to support it. By these means the weights of the ropes (Z inside the pulleys 0, together with the chains 7:, will always balance the portion of the ropes (JZ outside the pulleys, together with the chains 2', in all positions. Therefore if the aggregate weight of the counterweights c be equal to the weight of water in the tank or body a at medium waterlevel plus the weight of the tank equilibrium is obtained in the whole dinamical portion of the machinery-that is, so long as the water is of medium level the whole system is balanced.

To put the apparatus in motionthat is, to raise the lift or to lower it--with or without a load, by taking water out of the tank or body a and bringing it below the medium waterlevel when at the bottom position the weight tending to lift the lift would raise it, and then to lowerit when at the top, with or without a load, by adding a small quantity of water to the tank or body (L and bringing it above medium water-level it, the body, would lift the weights and it would fall to the bottom. In these actions the chains 2 and it would be raised off and piled up on the bottom of their respective wells A: and j alternatively. If this method is adopted, then fuel would be saved, and the machinery or power used in connection with the driving or operation of the ropewheels 0 would be used only as auxiliary power to regulate the movement and synchronize the actions of all the parts and produce a harmonious operation of the system as a whole and to prevent undue acceleration in either direction. It would, however, be possible to rely entirely on electric, steam, or other power motor to work the apparatus. This machinery in the case shown comprises a motor m say an electric motordriving-shafts n, which work and drive through suitable worm or toothed gearing, two counter-shafts 0,parallel with the axes of the Wheels 0 and having upon them pinions p, meshing with spur-wheels q, fixed on or to the rope-wheels 0 and revolving therewith. Thus as the motor revolves so the shafts 0 are revolved, and with them all the toothed wheels q and rope-wheels 0 in unison. The motor on would be suitably placed so as to distribute the power, and countershafts may extend between the shafts 0, so that these two shafts would be geared up to several points in order to equally distribute the power on the line-shafts 0. The trough or tank a would be lowered into adry-dock or basin r with a water-tight connecting-gate and movable pieces in any known way; but as there might be a tendency of the trough to rise when in connection With the lower pound series of catches or stops of suitable shape may be arranged to hold it down during the period the vessel was entering or leaving. During the transition stage at the top no damage could arise, as receiving-blocks for the counterweights emay be provided, which they would come upon in this position, or in any case they would be quite or nearly touching the ground.

In the case of lifts where the trough or tank a is in width about the depth it may be of semicircular form, thereby saving considerable Weight.

A lift apparatus according to this invention requires no deep foundations, and the steel- Work or brickwork is above ground. The weight being evenly distributed in the tank or trough a and the support being also evenly distributed, the metal-work of the tank or trough may be quite lightly built, and consequently the employment of heavy girders, such as are necessary when the weight is supported at the center only, are not required. The machinery being self-controlled with its own balance-weights, one trough only need be erected instead of two, as is usually the case in hydraulic lifts, and if two be erectedthey may be both up or both down together to suit the exigencies of traffic. Further, by the invention any speed of movement may be obtained, and there is no tendency to uneven stress on the ropes.

Having now particularly described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lift apparatus for navigable vessels, comprising a tank for carrying the vessels; an upwardly-projecting erection along each side of same; a plurality of pulleys along on each of and onthe top of said erections; ropes along each side passing over the pulleys and attached at one end to the tank; balanceweights fixed on the other end of the said ropes; chains suspended from the weighted ends of said ropes, and from the tank, the lower portions of which are adapted to be lowered onto and rest on, and be moved off their support, as the tank and Weights move up and down; and means for controlling the movements of the apparatus; substantially as set forth.

2. A lift'apparatus for navigable vessels, comprising a tank a for carrying the vessels; erections t along each side of same; a plurality of pulleys 0 along on each of, and on top of said frames; ropes d along each side; passing over the pulleys 0, and attached at one end to the tank a; and balance-weights e fixed in the other ends of the said ropes; chains i suspended from the weighted end of the ropes d; chains k'suspended from the tank a; the lower portion of said chains being adapted to be lowered onto and rest on and be moved off their supports, as the tank a and weights 6 move up and down; spurwheels q in connection with each of said pulleys c; a shaft 0 parallel with the axes of each set of the wheels 0; pinions p on said shafts 0 meshing with the spur-wheels q; and a motor connected with, and adapted to operate said shafts 0; substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. SANER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST R. ROYSTON, FRANK E. FLEETWOOD. 

